Current beverage making apparatuses employ a variety of techniques to control the volume of liquid dispensed during a beverage making process. It is desirable to have a preselected volume of beverage dispensed to prevent “short potting,” a condition where less than the intended volume of beverage is dispensed. As an example, but not by way of limitation, during the production of coffee, a short pot would mean that an insufficient volume of water would be combined with coffee grounds, resulting in a coffee beverage having a resulting flavor that is different than intended, and thus not having the desired taste.
It is desirable to have a combination of accurately controlled liquid dispensing in a system that allows effective brewing. Other accurate volume dispensing systems known in the art include a siphon system in which the brewed volume is determined by a timed opening of an electric valve in a cold water supply path. The siphon system uses a flow regulator to assure that the rate of flow into a holding basin is constant with varying pressure from the water supply. The holding basin is large enough to contain at least a full selected brew cycle volume of water. Eventually, the water in the basin will displace hot water from the tank into the brew funnel. Once the water level in the tank falls below the highest level of the outlet tube, the siphon action takes over and drains the tank to a “siphon level” point. This system has the advantage that the finished brew volume in the carafe is always maintained, even if the outlet path is partially obstructed with lime, mineral deposits, or other materials. A disadvantage is the difficulty in implementation of a pulse brew. If a valve is placed between the tank outlet and the sprayhead, and it is closed during the siphon portion of the brew, then flow will not restart when the valve is opened again. The result is a short volume in the finished brew. Also, additional volume may be dispensed in the subsequent brew if the tank had not been drained to the siphon level. Another disadvantage is the consequence of adding a separate outlet path for a faucet to dispense hot water from the tank. If water were to be drawn from the faucet during a brewing cycle, the amount of water taken would be subtracted from the finished brew.
Another system known in the art, referred to as a gravity system, opens an outlet valve in an outlet tube for a predetermined period based on a known flow rate from the tank. A problem with this system is that as lime and mineral deposits accumulate inside the outlet tube, the flow-rate out the tube decreases which results in the a smaller volume of liquid being dispensed within the predetermined period.
Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, disclosed is an apparatus, kit, system, and method for accurate dispensing of a desired volume of liquid. The present system overcomes prior limitations that prevent incorporation of, for example, the addition of a faucet for drawing liquid from a liquid reservoir. The dispensing apparatus is used in combination with a beverage making machine and includes a liquid reservoir with a level sensor associated therewith for sensing a liquid level in the reservoir. An inlet tube communicates with the reservoir to provide a liquid flow thereto. A flow regulator or constant line pressure source provides liquid flow into the reservoir at a predetermined flow rate. An inlet valve positioned along the inlet tube and is provided and is controlled by a controller. The controller also controls an outlet valve communicating with an outlet tube extending from a the liquid reservoir. The controller operates the outlet valve to remain open for a time period which is the longer of an initial set time period and an extension time period. The extension time period is calculated as the sum of the initial time period and one or more refill periods, the duration of which is more fully explained below.
Also disclosed is a method for controlling a beverage dispenser to dispense a desired volume of liquid which includes the following steps. First, a first inlet time and first outlet time are set. These two first times may be set either as factory presets or during an initial calibration process. A second outlet time is initially set to be equal to the first outlet time. During subsequent brewing cycles, the outlet valve is opened for the second outlet time. During the brew cycle, the inlet valve is opened or iteratively opened by the controller in response to a level sensor sensing a liquid level in the reservoir has fallen below a preselected reservoir level and closed by the controller in response to the level sensor sensing the liquid level has risen at least to the preselected reservoir level. Simultaneously the controller monitors the total time the inlet valve remains open during the brewing cycle. This total time is defined as the second inlet time. If the difference between the first inlet time and second inlet time is greater than an adjustment trigger time, the controller increases the second outlet time by some increment for subsequent brewing cycles.
Additional features and embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of drawings.
The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure that is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner.